Would you rather lug around a 4-pound laptop with its heavy power adapter, or carry a 2-ounce PC the size of a candy bar?

If it's the latter, then the Intel Compute Stick will definitely appeal. The Compute Stick is a desktop PC that fits in the palm of your hand. It's designed to plug into any free HDMI port on a computer monitor or HDTV. The $150 Microsoft Windows 8.1 version will be available for sale later this month, followed by the $110 Ubuntu Linux version in June.

The system comes with an Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core processor, 2GB of memory, and 32GB of eMMC (embedded MMC) flash storage. It measures about 0.5 by 4 by 1.5 inches (HWD) and runs a full copy of Windows 8.1 with Bing. You won't get a display, keyboard, or mouse with it, but the Compute Stick will let you carry a Windows PC in your shirt pocket, ready to plug in at home or in the office.

But what exactly can you do with the Compute Stick? We're glad you asked! Below are some great options for making the most of this innovative PC.

1. Stream Video on any HDTV or Monitor with HDMI Sure, you can use a media-streaming box like the Apple TV or Roku to watch Netflix on your HDTV. However, the Intel Compute Stick can also work with Amazon Prime Video (unavailable on Apple TV), HBO Now (not available on Roku for the time being), or even that quasi-legal streaming site hosted in Slovakia. Think about it, you can even stream live sporting events, provided you have the right subscriptions to FIFA.com or MLB.tv. Just plug in, log in, then sit back and enjoy!

2. Project Presentations on the Road The Intel Compute Stick is a full Windows PC. That means you can run the PowerPoint player or the full PowerPoint programs on any HDTV or projector with a spare HDMI port. The stripped-down player will be faster, but if you bring the full PowerPoint program with you, you can change elements on your slides at the last minute if, for example, your colleague listed on slide two missed his flight, or if the boss asked the intern to join at the last minute. Just plug your clicker in, and present away, road warrior!

3. Little Fluffy Clouds If your business or workplace uses cloud-based services, you can access your work from home without having to lug around 5-pound laptop that's like a boat anchor these days. The 2-ounce Intel Compute Stick is no bother to carry around, and if your IT guys are good, they can set you up to log in to your application server in the office over the VPN, or at the very least access your shared file system and email through Internet Explorer and other thin clients. You can even bring the Compute Stick on vacation, as long as your hotel has HDTVs and reliable Wi-Fi.

4. Shall We Play a Game? Last, but not least, many of the Flash, HTML5, and Unity engine games on the Internet will be accessible and fully playable. Sure, Bioshock is a bit of a stretch, but arcade emulators, simple games like Angry Birds, and many interactive fiction sites are easily accessed over the Internet. It'll be even better if you have a Bluetooth gamepad that works with Windows. Game on!

About the Author

Joel Santo Domingo joined PC Magazine in 2000, after 7 years of IT work for companies large and small. His background includes managing mobile, desktop and network infrastructure on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Joel is proof that you can escape the retail grind: he wore a yellow polo shirt early in his tech career. Along the way Joel e... See Full Bio

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